Coupling for traction-engines.



No. 831,977. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

H. NILSEN.

COUPLING FOR TRACTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1905.

UNITED sTATEs' PATENT OFFICE.

HJALMAR NILSEN, OF DAHLEN TOWNSHIP, NELSON COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed May 1, 1905. Serial No. 258,166.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HJALMAR NILSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Dahlen township, in the county of Nelson and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplers for Traction-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, and eflicient coupler espe cially adapted for use to couple separators for traction-engines.

To this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view in diagram illustrating my improved coupler applied in the rear portion of the traction-engine and showing the improved coupler applied to the rear platform of the traction-engine and coupled to the pole of the separator. Fig. 2 is a plan view with some parts broken away, showing the improved coupler removable from working position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the improvedcoupler; and Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation, showing the head on the end of the separator-pole and showing also a portion of the improved coupler.

The numeral 1 indicates the wheels, and the numeral 2 the body, and the numeral 3 the rear end platform or support of the traction-engine, said parts being shown diagrammatically.

The numeral 4 indicates the front wheels, the numeral 5 the body, and the numeral 6 the short pole, of the separator. The pole 6 at its free forward end is provided with a head formed with vertically spaced forweirdly-projecting ears or straps 7 and with a vertical pin 8, passed through and rigidly secured to said ears.

The body of the improved coupler is made up of a pair of horizontally-disposed vertically-spaced plates 9, that are spaced apart by thimbles 10 and are rigidly secured together and to the platform 3 of the engine by bolts or rivets 11 passed through said plates 9, through said thimbles 10, and through said platform. At the rearwardly-projecting ends the plates 9 are formed with crotches or diverging notches 12.

An approximately L-shaped latch-lever 13 is provided at its elbow portion to the intermediate portion of the plates 9 by means of a bolt or pin 14. Said lever 13 works between the two plates 9 and at its forwardly-projecting end is provided with a beveled hook or nose 15, which forwardly stands, as best shown in Fig. 2, with its beveled portion eX- tending diagonally across the crotch formed by the notches 12 and with its hooked portion in position to clamp and hold the pin 8 of the pole at the extreme end portion of said crotch.

The coiled spring 16, attached to one of the plates 9 and to the forwardly-projecting arm of the lever 13, normally holds said arm against a fixed stop 17 on the lower plate 9. The laterally-projecting arm of the lever 13 projects from the plates 9 and affords a handpiece by means of which the lock-lever may be forced into an inoperative position against the tension of the spring 16, and thereby releasing the pin 8 of the pole-head.

As is evident, by the coupling .of the head to the pole 6, the coupling may be automatically effected simply by forcing the pin 8 against the beveled outer portion of the hook 15. As is evident, when the separator is coupled to the engine, as shown in Fig. 1, the pole 6 thereof is free for lateral pivotal movements with respect to the coupler, but will be securely held thereby until its release is intentionally accomplished by a positive movement of the locklever 13, accomplished by taking hold of the laterally-projecting arm or handpiece thereof.

The coupler described is of small cost, is strong, durable, and generally eflicient for the purposes had in view.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

The combination with a platform or support 3, of a coupler comprising a pair of rigidly-connected plates 9, one of which is placed directly against said platform, thimbles 10 spacing said plates apart, bolts or rivets 11 passing through said two plates 9, through said thimbles, and through said platform 3, and rigidly connecting the said parts together, said plates 9 having a crotch formed by notches 12, located at their proand yieldingly holding said lever against 10 jected ends, one of plates 9 having a stop 17, a lock-lever 13 pivotally connected to and Working between said plates 9, and provided with a projecting handpiece and formed at its forwardly-projecting end with a beveled hook 15 cooperating with said crotch formed by said notches 12, and a spring 16 attached to said lever 13 and to one of said plates 9,

said stop 17, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX' my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HJALMAR N ILSEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. KEL EY, O. N. FRIoI-L 

